Improvement in fly-frames for printing-presses



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n.. WEC'KERLIN. FLY FRAMES1 FOR PRINTING PRESSES. No. 173,147.

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n. WEcKERLrN.' FLY FRAMESl FOR PRINTING PRESSES.

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No.' 173,147. Patented. Fable, 197,6;

UNITED Y STATES PATENT Oruro. A-

DoMtrucK wEoKEnLIN, or BROOKLYN, Assienon To n. Hon a oo., or

. NEwYonK,-N.Y.

IMPROAVEMENT INfFLVFRAMES FOR PRINTING-PRESSES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 173,147, dated February8, 17876; application filed September 23, -1875.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that LDoMINioK WEGKERLIN,

'of Brooklyn, New York, have invented an Improvement in Fly-Frames forPrintin g-Presses,

of which the following is a specification:

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate lmy invention, andwherein Alike letters of reference refer to vlike v parts, Figurel is aperspective View of my improved iiyAframe. Fig. 2 is an edge viewthereof, withthe fingers .in section 5 Figs. 3, 4, andv, views of yoneVmodication; Figs. 6 and 7, views showing various modifications; Figs.8, 9, 1Q, and 11, sections thereof; and Figs. l2 .and 13, sec- .tionalviews ol' further modifications. Y

The invention consists in a ily-frame whose .fingers present the minimumarea of contactsurface with the printed sheets, which are in.-

dependently adjustable laterally in, or independently remo vablev from,their supportingbase, the entire group .of fingers being removablebodily from the stock or holder, all of Vwhich4 will be set forth atlargein thefollowin g detailed description.

In the process of delivering printed `sheets -by a fly-frame theirfreshly-printed faces become more or lless smeared by contact with thebroad surface of the fingers as they carry them tothe piling-table. Incut work and all fine printing this result is destructive in a 'largedegree, and many remedies have been sought, and none found whicheffectually overcome this difficulty. As it is necessary that the groupof lingers constituting the ily-,frame yshall be many in number, andplaced closely enough together to prevent the sheet'from sagging betweenthem, ity follows that a construction is desirable which presents the ismallest amount of'surface-contact with the sheet, and one which permitsthe point of contact of the several fingers therewith to be determinedaccording 'to the position of the vprinted matter and marginal spacesupon the sheet to be delivered.

To this end Ilia-ve constructed the said ngers with their faces or uppersides chamt'ered or cut away to form a central rib, tapered to a thinedge, which provides bearing-surfaces .having an area little greaterthan that o f a knife-edge, and Vwhich consequently bearlupon theprintedsheet to the least attainable degree. This 4construction reducesthe Weight .and 'expense attending the useof thin plates inserted in,orvsmall wires attachedupointhe fingers, which vhas been the commonpractice. Fly-frames of thecommon'construction, whereinthelingersare-rigidly secured to their supporting-base, are thuszimproved and rendered -comparatively harmless to the printed sheets ofthe sheet, or be entirely removed, if necessity require. 'Ilhus thelingers may be adjusted to adapt them to positions which least interferewith and prevent blemishing-of the i impressions. e l

I have illustrated various ways of `acceuiplishing this adjustment ofthe fingers, which I will nowsinii'lutely describe.

In Fig. 1l the tapered form of the face or top surface of the lingers ismade use of as a means for fastening them in place. rEhe flat `bottomsof the lingers rest upon the base barr or plate A, and the angular ribsor their upper faces bear in grooves or serrations cut parallel to eachother, and laterally across thelunder side of the Vclamp bar or plate Bof the supporting-base. These bars or plates A vand-B areheld inadjustable relations to each other by thumb-screws C, so that the bar Bmay be loosened when itis desired to shift a linger from onegroove toanother, or .entirely remove it, and be tightened to clamp the lin-vgers in y their y.adjusted positions with -relationto each other. 1

The barsgor plates A and B, constituting the supporting-base, may bepermanently selcured tothe stock'or A:holder G, carrying the journals H,or be attached thereto, so as to be removable therefrom, as in Figs.r3and 6, as will be hereinafter explained.

It', in its new adjustment, a finger obstructs one ot the screw-holes m,the screw may be moved to the next adjacent screw-hole, as is apparent.

ln Fig. 3 the inner face ot' the base bar or plate A is provided withparallel angular grooves or recesses, in like manner as shown in Fig. 1,in which rest the butts of the iingers D, which are also provided withangular grooves, recesses, or serrations for a short distance from theirinner ends on their under sides, which,'corresponding with, fit intosaid grooves, recesses, or serrations in the basebar A. The fingers arealso cut away a short distance on their upper faces to form lia-t seatsfor the clamp bar 'or plate B, which bar B is forced down, by screws I,to clamp the said lingers 'in place. The length of the serrations orrecesses in both lingers and base-plate is such as to provide a bearingsuflicient to imfpart longitudinal stiffness to the lingers.

Upon starting one or more of the screws I nearest'to the linger desiredto be adjusted, it will be so released from the bite of the clamp-bar Bas to be easily removed by a 'slight movement lengthwise, and. maythenbe readily inserted at the point desired. It is thus apparent that oneor more of the fingers may be moved laterally a distance equal to thewidth ot' one or more of the serrations or recesses, which will cause itto bear at the desired point upon the printed sheet.

The clam p-bar B is shown in Fig. 5 as seated at its rear end on a metalplate, J. Such a bearing is desirable when the base-bar A is made ofwood.

In Fig. 6, at K, and in Fig. 8 the serrations or recesses are shown asdisposed lengthwise of the base-bar A, and in a corresponding relationacross the under side of the heel of the lingers.`

Upon being released from the pressure of the clamp-bar B, lingers thusconstructed may be slided sidewise untilthe desired point is reached,when they are again clamped in position. To entirely remove them, theclampbar is raised a sutiicient distance from them to clear theserratious one from the other.

At L, Fig. 6, the base-bar A is shown to be provided with plates a ando, whose front edges are serrated or saw-toothed, which plates are soplaced as to form front and rear bearings for similarly serrated seats,or ledges on the under side of the fingers D, as in Fig. 11, which showsbottom and side views of. the butt of a finger so constructed. Thesemeans for holding the fingers require but a slight withd rawal ot' them,after they are unclamped, to accomplish their lateral movement, andaffords in its double bearings a mode of obtaining the requiredlongitudinal stiffness of the lingers. Y

As shown at M, the base-bar A is provided with sets of holes n, arrangedin parallel lines, a distance apart, with which engage short dowel-pinsc on the under sides of the iin gers D, as in Fig. 9. When released fromthe i pressure ot' the clamp-bar, these ingers may be disengaged fromone pair of holes, and be re-engaged in another pair, thus beingadjusted at the desired point. l

As shown at Nin Fig. 6 and in Fig. 10, the base-bar A is provided with afront plate, c, which projects upward to form a lip or rib, which fitsinto a lateral recess in the under side ot' the lingers D. When loosenedby the raising of the clamp-bar, these fingers may be slided to therequired position, when they may be reclamped. This rib may project fromshoes uponthe butts of the fingers, which may then slide laterally inthe longitudinal slot or way in the base bar or plate A, as in Fig. 12.

What'has been described as serrations may be slots or recesses of anyother shape than with angular sides-thus, as in Fig. 13, they may besquare sockets, and they may, of course, have any other configurationwhich will provide suitable holding-surfaces; and, whenever it isrequired, or great durability is desired, the holding points or deviceson the fingers may be provided upon metallic shoes, as in Figs. -12 and13, and the corresponding devices upon the base-plate A, or the plateitself, may also be of metal. In practice, however, it is expedient toconstruct the iiy-frame and most of its parts of wood, in order tosecure lightness.

It has been customary to remove the frame bodily from the press bysecuring the outer of the main group of fingers to short arms extendingfrom the stock or holder G. This construction, however, does not affordthe stiffness required for the somewhat violent movements the frame hasto endure; and I have, therefore, provided the stock or holder G, whichcarries the usual journals H, with lugs, rising from its ends, and aplate, Q, rising from its rear side, between which the base bars orplates A and B are inserted, so as to be seated upon the bottom plate,and rest against the lugs and back plate. 1n this position it is firmlysecured by ears or clamps E, which bear upon its ends, and are firmlysecured in place by thumb-screws F. This provides a'nready means for itsdetachment whenever its removal is required to permit access to theworking parts of the press, and a secure and firm attachment for it whenin operative position.

1. Fly-frame fingers shaped so as to form a projecting rib or angularsheet-supporting edge, substantially as shown and described.

2. A fly-frame for printing-presses, the fingers whereof` areindependently removable from their supporting-base, substantially asshown and described.

3. A fly-frame for printing-presses, the iingers, whereof areindependently detachable and adjustable laterally, substantially asdescribed. v

4. The combination of ngers, each 'having` a face-rib, with atransversely scored or grooved clamp-bar, and a base or supporting bar,substantially as shown and described.

5. Thecombiuation of bars or plates A and B, adjustable fingers D, andmeans for retaining the fingers rigidly between the bars, substantiallyas described and shown.

6. The combination of base-bar A, ribbed fingers, and scored orv groovedclamping-bar, substantially as described and shown.

7. In combination with the independentlyvdetachable fingers, I claimmetallic shoesprovided with devices, substantially as described, whereby.they are adjustably attached to their supporting-base.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specication in thepresence of two subscribing Witnesses.

DOMINIOK `WEGKERLIN.

Witnesses ISAAC KRAUS,

S'rnPirEN D. TUCKER.

